WASHINGTON May 17, 2013; The Energy Department announced today that it
has conditionally authorized Freeport LNG Expansion, L.P. and FLNG
Liquefaction, LLC (Freeport) to export domestically produced liquefied
natural gas (LNG) to countries that do not have a Free Trade Agreement
(FTA) with the United States from the Freeport LNG Terminal on Quintana
Island, Texas. Freeport previously received approval to export LNG from
this facility to FTA countries on February 10, 2011. Subject to
environmental review and final regulatory approval, the facility is
conditionally authorized to export at a rate of up to 1.4 billion cubic
feet of natural gas a day (Bcf/d) for a period of 20 years. The Department
granted the first authorization to export LNG to non-FTA countries in May
2011 for the Sabine Pass LNG Terminal in Cameron Parish, Louisiana at a
rate of up to 2.2 Bcf/d.

The development of U.S. natural gas resources is having a transformative
impact on the U.S. energy landscape, helping to improve our energy security
while spurring economic development and job creation around the country.
This increase in domestic natural gas production is expected to continue,
with the Energy Information Administration forecasting a record production
rate of 69.3 Bcf/d in 2013.

Federal law generally requires approval of natural gas exports to
countries that have an FTA with the United States. For countries that do
not have an FTA with the United States, the Natural Gas Act directs the
Department of Energy to grant export authorizations unless the Department
finds that the proposed exports “will not be consistent with the
public interest.”

The Energy Department conducted an extensive, careful review of the
application to export LNG from the Freeport LNG Terminal. Among other
factors, the Department considered the economic, energy security, and
environmental impacts - as well as public comments for and against the
application and nearly 200,000 public comments related to the associated
analysis of the cumulative impacts of increased LNG exports – and
determined that exports from the terminal at a rate of up to 1.4 Bcf/d for
a period of 20 years was not inconsistent with the public interest.